The Little Precious Things
by Serria
Summary: Eight-year-old Light won't tell his mother his birthday wishes. If he does, he says, they won't come true.


**The Little, Precious Things**

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Light is bouncy, legs jittering from his seat on the couch and humming (off-key, mind you) the theme song from his favorite cartoon. He tries not to show it, of course, and he holds a particularly heavy chapter book above his nose, as if he would just as soon study about lions than acknowledge that today he is eight years old for the very first time.

Sachiko smiles fondly at him while she slices up fresh strawberries for the cake. Naturally, Light had acted nonchalant, had said he didn't really care about having a birthday party with friends, he was getting too old for birthday parties. So naturally, Sachiko had went ahead and called up parents to organize a surprise party with five friends who Light talked about from the arcade and soccer practice. Then, naturally, Light had gone on and found out about the surprise party, judging by how antsy he is now. Or maybe he had anticipated it from the start when he told his mother he didn't want a party in the first place.

"We'll just have a small party tonight," Sachiko singsongs across the kitchen. "You, me, your father and Sayu."

"Sure," Light drones, now laying on his back and bicycling his skinny legs in the air with the book outstretched above him.

"I think I have some leftover udon in the fridge that I can heat up for dinner," she tries teasing again, knowing he has a quite a repulsion for those noodles.

"Better tell that to the pizza man," he shoots back with an extra dose of smartass.

Little brat must have overheard her phone call. Sachiko chuckles, finishing the strawberries and checking the cake in the oven. The sweet aroma curled pleasantly into her nose. Maybe five more minutes. The boys coming over would tell their mothers nothing but praise about the Yagami household's dedicated mother after tasting this. Why, she would be doing her own mother proud with this one.

Sachiko glances at the clock. Twenty to five. Guests were instructed to arrive by ten to five, meeting at little Junki's apartment down the street first so the boys could all come in a group. "Oh, Light," she says innocently. "Could you run to the convenience store and pick up some cream? I seem to be all out, and we'll need it for that cake."

Light rolls his eyes knowingly and makes a great show of putting the effort into standing up. He begrudgingly stomps his feet to the kitchen and accepts the thousand yen bill his mother offers him.

"You can keep the change. But don't buy any candy, we'll be having plenty of sweets tonight," she chides.

"I won't," he promises. Then he follows Sachiko's gaze at the clock, concern wrought in his young features. "Um... will Daddy be here tonight?"

Sachiko blinks, and then nods vigorously. "Of course he will, honey. He promised you this morning, didn't he?"

Light still looks dubious but he shrugs like he doesn't care either way. He slips his feet into his sneakers (stepping on the heels like Sachiko is always reprimanding him for, but even she has to admit they are a bit too small now). He makes a production of huffing while he shuts the door, as though he can't be bothered to partake in his mother's obvious facade of 'no surprise party', but once he's at the walkway he spreads his arms at and starts skipping down the street.

Sachiko quickly corals the boys in as they arrive soon after. Junki rambles on and on about how they were hiding behind a fence to wait for Light to leave, sort of like spies, as Sachiko slaps party hats on all of their heads. She then has to convince them to be spies again and hide under the chairs to surprise Light when he gets back in the door. But they won't stop chattering, especially after Sachiko runs upstairs to wake up Sayu from her nap. Sayu starts wailing and singing 'Happy Birthday' prematurely, which has the boys giggling and trying to play with her. She tells herself it's just a silly birthday party, but she's on the bring of scolding them all for being naughty when little Michio shrieks that he sees Light out the window.

That hushes them all. The door creeks open and then Sachiko worries that Light is going to continue to be a smartass about the whole affair, even in front of these other children - but Light dutifully acts surprised when Sayu screams the magic word before he can even set a foot in on the doormat, which leads to an eruption of yells from his classmates.

The pizzas arrive soon after, and Sachiko winces but tells them it's okay if they eat in the other room so they can play Nintendo. Of course, little Sayu insists on joining and says it's not fair if she's made to eat in the kitchen while the older boys don't have to, so Sachiko tells Light that he's in charge of her (a duty he accepts graciously). Now, there's only one party guest missing. She's alone in the kitchen when the telephone rings.

And she knows, even before she picks it up, that it is the one thing she does _not_ want to go wrong at this party.

"You _have_ to be here," Sachiko snarls in a hoarse whisper. "Your only son is turning eight today, and you promised him just this morning that you weren't going to miss _this_ one!"

"Sachiko, please!" Soichiro explains helplessly. "Don't make this more difficult for me than it already is! A new case came up, and the task force _needs_ me!"

"Light needs you!" Her voice starts to yell. "How many of his birthday parties have you been to?!"

Soichiro's voice strains. "Not enough. I know it, not enough! But my duties here are just more important. I dedicate everything, Sachiko, _everything_ into making sure the streets of Tokyo are safe for Light and Sayu. As well as everyone else!"

Sachiko knows he's right. She knows that a silly party can't even come close to matching the urgency of keeping criminals locked up. But she's so upset that all she can muster is a bitter, "Before you know it, your son won't even know your name."

"He understands," he says softly. "Light told me this morning that he understands."

Suddenly, Light's standing right there, Light's looking at his mother with wide eyes. Sachiko mumbles something and hangs up abruptly, staring at him and trying to think of the most gentle way to break the news.

"It's okay, Mommy," Light says first, smiling that smile that she just can't tell is real or not. "Daddy's fighting the bad guys. That's cool."

"Baby-" she begins, but Light cuts her off again.

"Do we have any apple juice? We're really, really thirsty."

So Sachiko quickly wipes her eyes and pours juice in the decorative cups ("tell the boys we have soda, too, but don't let Sayu hear, okay?"). She whips the cream and spoons it onto the the cooled cake, and tops it with strawberries and candles. She waits until the boys have finished their pizzas before calling them back in to the kitchen for cake and presents.

Light gets to sit at the head of the table, giggling as the children make up extra verses to 'Happy Birthday', before closing his eyes briefly. Then he takes one big, dramatic breath that fills his little chest and gracefully blows out all eight candles.

Sachiko asks him later what it was that he wished for. He tells her that it's a secret, and he can't say or it won't come true.

_-fin_

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_Author's Notes:

-Happy birthday, Light! Actually, where I live, it's already March 1st, but in the west it should still be February 28th. Hope Light doesn't mind. :)

This was just a little short thing, but thanks for reading!


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